The Battle Hymn Of The Tiger Mother Summary

The term “tiger mother” was coined by Amy Chua in 2011 with the release of her memoir, The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother. She refers to herself as a tiger mother because she was born into the year of the tiger in Chinese zodiac. Tiger people are “powerful, authoritative, and magnetic,” (Kolbert, newyorker.com) Chua says, all qualities that show through in her parenting style.
Before beginning this research project, I knew little of the subject of tiger moms. I thought of them stereotypically, as Asian-Americans pushing their children to tears and more, forcing them to play endless hours on the piano and only receive straight A grades. There is much more to this topic, especially after it was widely scrutinized and brought to light with Amy Chua’s New York Times Bestseller. A highly controversial and debated topic, it raises important ethical questions about true success and makes me think. I chose this topic hoping to learn more about the mothers (and
Using these terms loosely, “Chinese” mothers account for more than mothers living in China or with Chinese descent, but covers all mothers who use the style of parenting she uses. Accordingly, “Western” mothers are not specific to an ethnicity or nationality either. However, there are examples Chua uses, giving her methods ties, even if loose or vague, to Chinese culture. Tiger mothers want what is best for their child, which is one of the reasons they push their children so hard, forcing them to use up every last drop of potential and growth. Tiger mothers do not allow failure, even in the form of a B, or A-. Amy Chua states that, “In Chinese thinking, the child is the extension of the self,” (Chua, amychua.com). If the child is the extension of the self, then it would reflect poorly, or even be considered as failure, for the parent if the child made some mistakes or performed less than